The North

Yeah, I have to admit it was a quiet month for new North tracks. I agree that modern Inquisition seems to have lost some of what made it so enjoyable in the past. 

I corrected The Amenta track to be off Plague of Locus rather than Lord Kaos' Thorns of Impurity album, which of course the track was originally found on. The Lord Kaos album is now on Spotify too, which is a good thing. Daniel was mates with the guys in the band and I listened to that album a lot in the back end of the 90s.

The Frozen Dawn is awesome too - it's yet another from the masterful Mariusz Lewandowski, so it kind of goes without saying!

Kostnatění - "Úpal" (2023)

Last year's sophomore album from one-man Minneapolis avant-garde black metal project Kostnatění is a really solid release & should probably come into these discussions somewhere. It's currently sitting solely in The North but it's very clear to me that it should have a dual clan allocation with The infinite as it's made an obvious attempt to sound as strange as possible with a Deathspell Omega influence being pretty obvious in the guitar work. It doesn't all work but the majority of the record is highly engaging, despite being more interesting & intriguing than it is traditionally enjoyable. I'm placing it just behind Odz Manouk's "Bosoragazan (Բոսորագազան)" & Panopticon's "The Rime of Memory".

4/5

My gut feel from the limited exposure I've had to Medieval Folk Metal is that we may be best to at least rename it to Mittelalter-Metal or Medieval Metal, particularly given that RYM felt strongly enough to do so. It wouldn't take all that much effort as there's not that many releases. A deep dive is certainly required in order to determine if it's really best suited to being a) a subgenre of Folk Metal & b) a member of The North clan at some point.

Aloha, resident non-hater of Folk Metal here.

What makes it hard is that there are very few Folk Metal releases nowadays that stand alone as a Folk release, rather than being bundled with a Black / Progressive main genre. In all of my 2023 listening, I think the only actual Folk Metal release was Skálmöld's Ydalir, which I liked but wasn't anything to write to MA about unless you're really craving some Viking Metal. There was that Kostnatění release, Úpal that used Folk elements as the backbone of its songwriting but not in a Folk Metal way, so that was another win for wonky Black Metal rather than Folk Metal. I'm just waiting for the new Moonsorrow album. That's coming out, right guys? Any day now. 

I'll be giving Sagas another run here today, as I remember it being very good but very long.

I've correct the tracklisting. Thanks Vinny.

A bit late, but I did comment on this album earlier on and I'm doing my rounds of catch up today here on the forums as well but wow what a release and I do appreciate the nomination of this one Daniel it definitely hit a spot I didn't know I needed. As I mentioned in the review, this is such a great album to sleep to for some reason the atmosphere is just so cozy.

Another top list this month, Ben. I don't know if it's because the winter is here and the music suits the mood so well, but the last couple have been very good indeed. In fact there wasn't a single track I could say I disliked. Sure there were a couple that were a bit more melodic than I prefer, but they were still fine in their own way. I'm with Vinny in thinking that Faidra track was a particular highlight. Deiphage, Ebony Pendant, Fork Of Horripilation, Glemsel and Auriferous Flame were fantastic too. And let's face it, any playlist with Mayhem, Emperor and Darkthrone is going to kick ass anyway. Nice work Ben and everybody who submitted their selections.

One last album that is so amazing and unique, yet a reminder about how I should stop my melodic black metal exploration so I don't get highly committed to a genre still out of bounds from my moral comfort (among other reasons). Here are my thoughts:

Windir isn't a band that can be considered just black metal. This is epic melodic/symphonic black metal with colorful leads and mythological lyrics. All that and the genre's usual vocal screams and blast-beats make this sound a unique combo. Valfar was one of the more talented members of the Norwegian black metal scene. He could do everything except drums and clean vocals, which two other band members have done for him. He had an idea to make a black metal band that didn't follow the usual the genre's stereotypes, and he succeeded! Sadly, his life was taken in a blizzard during a trek to his family cabin in his homeland of Norway after his band's 4th album. He had an incredible technique of alternating between only a few powerful melodic riffs throughout the longer tracks. The instruments make the most change, taking turns playing each riff, whether adding more or less heaviness or harmony. All that makes this album an excellent unique journey. RIP Valfar

4.5/5

Yeah, I'm ending this melodic/symphonic black metal exploration early because these kinds of threads are frowned upon, and I've realized that I'm still not ready to travel further into The North. This means any suggestions for my exploration are cancelled (Sorry, Morpheus). Will I try to explore more black metal in the future? No idea, but the time is not now. That's all for this thread, folks!

Let's stick with what unites us and not what divides us, so saying I agree Vinny, the Mānbryne track was a standout and their album is near the top of my list of things to check out soon.  As you've already listened to it, is it any good?

I thought it was solid enough but not outstanding.  My fears of them being Mgla clones were not realised thankfully but I see little here to be attracting the top end of the rating spectrum, however I have only listened through a couple of times.

This is fucking fantastic Ben. Super-premium atmospheric black metal with a strong & highly original psybient component & some excellent extreme metal drumming. How could I not love that?! The mature use of melody, the knack for building tension & the inherent creativity are simply so impressive. "U.M.A." is the perfect Metal Academy feature release in my opinion as it's criminally underrated & underappreciated.

4.5/5

Nice list again Ben. Of the stuff I was unfamiliar with, Tsjuder and Profane Order chimed with me the most. I haven't ever listened to Rebel Extravaganza before and enjoyed the track from it a fair bit. I also enjoyed the Gespenst and Ifernach tracks.

I'm not sure about the last track by Bríi, I think I will have to check out a bit more from them, but it did pique my interest. Of the stuff I know, Ancient, Deathspell and Altar of Plagues were big yesses. Marduk sounded just how I expected them to and Trhä and Mgla didn't really set my world on fire.

All in all though, an enjoyable couple of hours whilst decorating the living room. How about a new tagline, "The Metal Academy Playlist - makes household chores almost bearable!"

Tenebrae - "Serenades of the Damned" (1994)

Having spare time to pursue my exploration of Canadian black metal is a real test at present but this does have the benefit of me being able to take it slowly and not just dive into any release that I find.  Today I wanted to look at some demos and I stumbled across Tenebrae (Latin word for "darkness") and their short discography that matches their short life together.  This five-piece managed just one full-length release before they split up.  Their demo that arrived some two years before their album is a suitably raw affair that contains some Emperor style symphonic keyboards to add into the mix.  The vocalist here is the guy who owns Sepulchral Productions (Martin Marcotte) and he gives a true to style grim and ghastly performance which is the standout performance on the release.  Those keyboards are not well represented in the overall sound and come across as amateurish and border on dungeon synth a little also.

The twin guitar attack works well alongside busy yet not always clear drums.  There's not really a lot on offer here that had not already been done by the Norwegians in the three or four years that preceded this release.  For a demo though, you get thirty-five minutes of sluggishly structured black metal that tries to run before it can walk on some occasions yes, but on the whole is still interesting listening (the last track however is a clusterfuck).  Not essential listening on my exploration but at least the influences are obvious.

Can be located on Bandcamp (on a "pay what you want" basis) or YouTube for anyone who is interested.

3/5

For a while it was looking like my review of “Reeking Pained and Shuddering” was going the same way of 2020’s “I Speak the Truth…” in terms of me struggling to actually articulate any individual standout parts. As with that later release, the 2007 offering is upon first listen a chaotic and often unsettling affair, but on this particular ride that unsettling nature is delivered beyond just the maelstrom of sounds that we are presented with. To these ears, “Reeking…” presents with a lot more control and conscious effort to disturb the listener with some good old fashioned atmospherics and samples.

Look past the scathing vocals and clatter and clashes of industrial influence and you will hear a cinematic dark ambience to this record. I had to make a rare excursion into using my headphones to truly appreciate the qualities on show here (something which my ears will suffer for today I am sure). The time taken, sat in a dark hotel room with no external distractions to take my focus off the stimulation my ears where receiving gave me the chance to track the proper structures that sit in amongst the torrent of terror of most tracks. These consistent elements seem to take the form of droning atmospheres that provide a dense foundation layer to the tracks.

The samples from various horror films and other macabre sources, work well and add depth to what could otherwise be barren soundscapes in terms of a perceived human touch. Ranging from the dramatic to the downright weird, they offer snapshots of madness into an already demented routine. Here again though is where I struggle a bit with the record. There is a lot going on and so if you are looking for memorability, those snippets that you hold onto, subconsciously or otherwise, then you are going to struggle here. For me, there would be no dialling down of the extremity if a few less ideas made it onto the record as the consistent parts develop an environment all of their own. This is still a good record though, albeit one that I would not consciously be drawn back to on a regular basis. I am coming to view Gnaw Their Tongue releases as occasional jolts to the system to remind me that the blueprint of structures can be torn up and form can be sacrificed for all out expression of the true turmoil within some artists.

3.5/5

Hits this month for me to check out further = Hasard, RUIM, Urfaust

Pleasing familiar artists = BAN, Arkona, Paysage d'Hiver

Skips this month for me =Agriculture, far too upbeat and positive for how I like my bm to be.  Similarly, Liturgy and their bonkers blend of bm, noise and alt/indie rock

Plan on getting some quality time in with the new BAN this week and also want to check out that latest Arkona album based on the track I heard here.  Hasard reminds me a lot of Akhlys so is a natural hit for me.  Listening to the album now and it seems to be my bag.

Altar of Plagues - "Teethed Glory & Injury" (2013)

Irish post-black metal trio Altar of Plagues have been a really big band in my life ever since I returned to the metal scene after a decade of electronic music indulgence back in 2009. The timing of their debut album “White Tomb” could not have been better & it received quite a few listens from me that year which would subsequently see me venturing back to a couple of the bands early E.P.’s (with admittedly mixed results) shortly afterwards. But it was Altar of Plagues’ 2011 sophomore album “Mammal” that saw the young band truly reaching the top echelon of the black metal spectrum & I still regard it as the finest example of the post-black metal sound I’ve encountered to this day. When the follow-up finally saw the light of day a couple of years later I found it hard to contain my excitement & boy did it deliver!

“Teethed Glory & Injury” is a complex & expansive record that only shows the listener its full array of qualities upon several repeat listens. It sees Altar of Plagues no longer being confined to the shackles of the black metal scene & transcending labels with an outing of pure creativity. In fact, many of the more extreme riffs have very little to do with black metal & one feels that if not for the wonderfully grim vocals of Dave Condon & blast beats of Johnny King that there may not have been much of a link to the most evil & blasphemous of scenes. Some of the more atmospheric & experimental sections draw influence from the post-sludge metal scene, harnessing the splendid production job to great effect.

The album kicks off in stellar fashion with three absolute beauties in the post-rock-inspired opener “Mills” & two spectacular post-black metal monsters in “God Alone” & “A Body Shrouded” before the tracklisting settles a bit over the next couple of songs. Another wonderful highlight appears in the incomparable “Twelve Was Ruin” & at that point I found myself wondering whether I might have a five-star record on my hands. Unfortunately things dip a touch over the remaining three songs but there’s nothing short of four-stars here & the overall result is equally imposing & impressive. “Teethed Glory & Injury” may not quite top its illustrious predecessor but there’s little doubt that it’s the glorious farewell that Altar of Plagues wanted & deserved. The band had never received the credit that was due to them & it was about time the metal world stood up & paid attention. If you’re a fan of bands like Downfall of Gaia, Entropia & Hope Drone then this should be essential listening.

4.5/5

The past few months I have been listening to a lot of modern day Darkthrone and have reviewed a couple of recent records from the Norwegian legends of black metal, commenting how they sound very little like their bm heyday. This has been something to celebrate in my opinion as they truly have reinvented themselves in comparison to the band that dropped A Blaze... and Transilvanian Hunger some thirty years ago. If ever proof was needed that the influence of black metal era Fenriz and NC is always destined to be alive and kicking then Armagedda are it. Notwithstanding that at the time of this release, Darkthrone were dropping Plaguewielder, one of their less popular releases and one that was certainly far away from the quality of their nineties' output. There is an argument to say that come 2001, Armagedda were better at being Darkthrone than Darkthrone were at the time.

Talk of obvious influences aside, Armagedda themselves were only two years into their existence come the release of their debut album. Having formed as Volkermord in 1999 before changing their name to Armagedda just one year later, the band certainly lived up to their apocalyptic band name with their primitive yet relentless eight song offering to the black metal world. The scathing and impertinent vocals of Graav being a perfect accompaniment to the clumsy and cumbersome riffs he was also responsible for (closing track My Eternal Journey in particular exposes these riff challenges). Yet at the same time when in full-tilt black metal mode (Deathminded), Armagedda more than make a case for them justifying those heady Darkthrone comparisons. Whilst not innovators (who the fuck was in black metal come 2001??) I would not say the Swedes class as imitators either. Their passionate sense of belonging to that second wave sound is obvious for all of The Final War Approaching.

With their thin guitar tone and strong tremolo presence, Armagedda more than make their mark on their debut full-length. If you are looking for a great second wave bm album from after the actual scene itself had been and gone, then you would be hard-pressed to find a better offering than this. Looking at their discography, Armagedda rarely seem to put a foot wrong and why would they based on this solid foundation stone to kick start their back-catalogue?

4/5

In an unexpected quiet couple of days at work, I managed to get through both The Fallen and The North playlists early doors this month.  Standouts for me:

Thantifaxath - Surgical Utopian Love (from Hive Mind Narcosis, 2023) - was aware of these Canadians already and so was delighted to see things opening up with their weird mix of Deathspell Omega meets Jute Gyte alongside BAN sounding atmospherics.

None - Rest (from Inevitable, 2023) - unusually captivating for a depressive black metal release, I found Rest to be almost enchanting in the most desolate and utterly hopeless way imaginable - I listened to the full album today and soon got bored though so will see how it picks up with repeated listens.

Armagedda - Deathminded (from The Final War Approaching, 2001) - looking forwards to reviewing this in the coming month.  I have been on a real conventional black metal kick of late and so the timing of this release being a Feature could not be better.  Wondering how I ever missed these guys to date though.

Blackbraid - The Spirit Returns (from Blackbraid II, 2023) - despite all the hype (and frankly relentless advertising) this guy gets, I have to admit to being underwhelmed with the first record.  This track grabbed my attention though with its melodic yet icy chunks of riffage.

Fen - Scouring Ignorance (from Monuments to Absence, 2023) - up to about my third listen with this record now and although not an outright struggle, it was not as immediate as I had hoped.  This track shows best why it caught me off-guard.  Very aggressive and racing in comparison to what I expected and those clean vocal passages are yet to land with me fully if honest.  Yet at the same time I am still utterly intrigued and want to learn more about the record.

Miserere Luminis - Le sang des rêves (from Ordalie, 2023) - I have seen the dazzling artwork for the album this track comes off already and knew I would have to check it out.  Atmospheric and expansive to boot, the whole album is a joy to behold having played it through a couple of times off the back of this track in the playlist.

Tilintetgjort's brand of loose black metal first caught my ear back in March of this year when In Death I Shall Arise first dropped. It was obvious to me from the outset that the millstone around the neck of the album was the production. Whether a conscious decision or not to go with this demo-style of production, it is by far the most limiting and overall distracting element of the experience and is one decision (if consciously made) that would need rethinking the next time out. This compressed sound creates some pretty odd clicking on the drums and adds a condensed layer over the guitars that sees them very much in the background of things, albeit they do not ever sound lost entirely.

However, I think there is enough else going on throughout In Death I Shall Arise to make it on of the more promising offerings of 2023 to date. Me being on a Darkthrone in the past few months is no doubt what taught the AI on my streaming service to suggest Tilintetgjort as a potential like for me. There is a lot of modern black metal on display here but it is more or less all delivered with tether firmly pegged back with Fenriz and Nocturno Culto sitting astride it. At the same time, Tilintetgjort are trying to take an avant-garde direction at times - albeit they lack maturity, direction and an anywhere near decent enough production job to achieve it. There are drum and riff patterns here that are not from any black metal playbook. Whilst I would not go as far as to say they are successful forays every time, the intent is there even if the delivery is at times off. With a better production, the flourishes of expansive structure and timings would land much better. As it stands they are coming out of somersault and landing with too much weight pulling them onto their arse, instead of being able to have the freedom to land and arch their spine to balance the execution out in full.

I still applaud the effort, even though it is only a middle of the range number that I can hold aloft on my judging scorecard. Give these guys a couple of years, a decent studio and a producer who isn't the vocalist in the band and they will be a different prospect. Closing track Dommedagsmonument is where the real promise for future songwritng forays lies. As bold a concept as it is at over twenty-minutes long, the ambition still shines through against the clashing of instruments in the mix. I am watching this space.

3.5/5

There is so much I enjoyed on this month's playlist that I don't quite know where to begin my analysis.  First off, where the fuck have Dauþuz been all my life, weird themed (traditional mining practices and history) black metal from Germany?  What's not to like?  Secondly, why have I not paid more attention to Nightbringer given the Naas Alcameth involvement and I fucking love Akhlys?  Thirdly, Teitanblood are bang up my alley also yet I have dedicated zero attention to them until today (an issue that will be rectified in the coming weeks I promise you).

I didn't mind the Deafheaven track even if I am honest.  I would not describe it as appropriate fodder for The North clan but when viewed as something different it landed okay with me overall, albeit I am not rushing out to discover more.  Plebeian Grandstand were interesting with their odd core/bm mix up going on - will be checking out more of their stuff as a respected internet acquaintance of mine speaks highly of them. 

Other highlights were Odz Manouk,  Sinmara, Inquisition, Zhrine and Sargeist - all of whom I am familiar with of course.

My only gripe was The Great Old Ones.  I have heard a lot of praise for these guys but that track did not justify that praise to my ears.

Thanks Ben for putting together.

Likewise, due to work pressures, time is at a premium right now.

I have to admit that I don't really know what Shoegaze is, which makes it difficult for me to understand why an album is or isn't considered to be Blackgaze.

Is anyone here experienced enough with Shoegaze to provide a few examples of tracks that have a sound that's recognisable when listening to Blackgaze? To be clear, I could easily go to RYM and look up Shoegaze albums, but I'm hoping to hear something representative of what resulted in Blackgaze, if that makes sense.

Basically combine alt-rock with noise rock and dream pop.  Here's a base chart for you to find key differences:

Shoegaze: Loveless by MBV

Both: Souvenirs by Alcest

Blackgaze: Sunbather by Deafheaven

Not enough evil in my North playlist?! That's something I'll have to remedy next month. 

I'm looking forward to it already!!

I hit a challenge early on with Andacht. That clean singing on opening track Glück is awful and whilst I accept it adds some ethereal depth to the track it is (to coin Sonny’s phrase from his review) “gimmicky” and far too much so for me. Despite repeated listening to it and acknowledgement that there is a lot more interesting stuff going on than just those vocals, they are still all that I retain from the opening track.

The album does pick up more or less immediately after this though and the true dismal majesty of Lunar Aurora’s brand of atmo-black shines grimly through on Geisterschiff much better than it did on the opening eleven minutes of the record. Here is where the Paysage d’Hiver similarities really start to take hold for me with those cold windy atmospherics that close out the track. The strongest track from the opening half of the release though is Dunkler Mann. Reminiscent of the more straightforward traits of Darkspace with a hint of the earthy symphonia of Sear Bliss for good measure.

Some of the samples seem to veer the album off into a BAN style of experimentation without ever getting into the avant-garde and industrial territories you would associate with the French bm mentalists. In the main though, it is clear that Lunar Aurora knew their talents lay in the more atmospheric aspects of black metal and it is to this strength that Andacht leans upon heavily. Using programmed drums works in the sense that they are kept subtle enough in proceedings to never even be given opportunity to intrude on the softer aspect of the sound. Instead, you can focus on the tremolo riffs and chiming keys of the trio that recorded this. The lunatic vocals that are deployed give me the perfect amount of chaos that I need for the all-round authentic bm experience.

It is not difficult to get lost in the driving intensity of tracks like Findling as they grow in depth over nine-minutes plus. Likewise, it is often the simplicity of basic structures such as the opening 90 seconds of Der Pakt that command just as much attention. The closing track seems to take the levels of vocal lunacy up a couple of notches to finalise proceedings and the whole track possesses a seemingly enhanced energy level that rounds out an overall positive experience.

4/5

Finally got around to this.

The obscure and reclusive nature of black metal artists does occasionally uncover some real gems if you can travel far enough off grid (well, onto YouTube as it happens) to find them. Having never heard of either of these artists going into this EP I was suspicious as to why they had never surfaced in some of the conversations I have with internet peers who firmly reside in the underground part of the scene. Reading Daniel's mini-bio in his review helped me understand why and soon enough I was embroiled in the five tracks on offer, noting almost instantly of the difference between the swarming frenzy of Tukaaria and the more structured and intelligent form of Odz Manouk.

Suffice to say that I much more prefer the contribution of Odz Manouk here. There is a raw energy to the otherwise very accessible structures that really set the two tracks from him apart when compared to those of Tukaaria. Odz Manouk perform some foot-stomping black metal that bashes its way into your memory banks. The Scavenger looms over the listener hovering on ferocious tremolos and haunting atmospherics (and that mauling melodic guitar stab that cuts like a blunt and filthy blade across your flesh on a couple of occasions), whilst those abhorrent vocals just spew all over you. Meanwhile (the personal highlight for me of the release), The Sloth is a beast of a track. Starting off all crawling and rhythmically lumbering it rumbles on for nearly nine perfect minutes of uncomfortable and stifling black metal that rams it's tongue down your throat.

By comparison the Tukaaria tracks lack much in the way of presence for me. Whereas the Odz Manouk tracks stay with me and did so from the first play, the three Tukaaria ones sort of pass me by and I find very little to praise from his offering. If this was just an Odz Manouk EP then we would be seeing the higher scores. However, when taken as a whole the EP is not a consistent entity and so I struggle to get above the halfway point of the scorecard as a result.

3.5/5

I have done countless double-takes on this album purely on the basis that this was all put together by one person. A Chinese, one man bm project with an output frequency to rival Jute Gyte to boot. As with Jute, there is a lot going on here. The difference here is that not all of the content is bm. As other site members have pointed out there are elements of thrash metal in here and the spazzing delivery of it all definitely smells of mathcore aesthetic (even though there is no such content per se).

Those punishing levels of dissonance do get lost in the swarming chaos overall for me and I find this to come across as being more confused than well fused together. The variety in the content I sense (if I had the time and/or patience) is not that all far apart in terms of a range or scale of variation, but it is so inaccessibly pitched that I cannot bring myself to take the minutes out of my week to try and map out themes. Do not get me wrong, for one man to deliver all this is astonishing, even though it doesn't work all that well for me I have to admire the work. The fact that he is getting this out of a far flung corner of China is only all the more unbelievable. But this admiration can only go so far when I am largely unable to recall any of the record despite playing it four times this morning.

Too many ideas flung at something is never a good combination for my ears and Τρωθησομένη is no exception I am afraid.

3/5

Deafheaven - "10 Years Gone" (2020)

A live in the studio affair that the band decided to record after the tour they'd prepared for was cancelled due to COVID. It's a splendid outing too & includes material spanning the whole course of the Deafheaven's decade-long career. The production is wonderfully bright & clear & the performances are absolutely spot-on breathing new life into tracks like "Language Games" & album highlight "Baby Blue". There's not anything that falls short of being a very solid example of the post-blackgaze sound here & fans of the band should treat this release as essential listening.

For fans of Alcest, An Autumn For Crippled Children & Lantlôs.

4/5

Here's my updated Top Ten Blackgaze Releases of All Time list:

01. Deafheaven - "Sunbather" (2013)

02. Deafheaven - "10 Years Gone" (2020)

03. Woods of Desolation - "Torn Beyond Reason" (2011)

04. Deafheaven - "Roads to Judah" (2011)

05. Deafheaven - "New Bermuda" (2015)

06. Alcest - "Kodama" (2016)

07. Deafheaven - "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love" (2018)

08. Lantlôs - ".neon" (2010)

09. Alcest - "Écailles de lune" (2010)

10. Sadness - "I Want To Be There" (2019)

https://metal.academy/lists/single/204

It is always a pleasure to listen to Burzum, Dark Space, Ulver or Imperial Dekadenz and so this month's playlist did not disappoint.  I just cannot get on with Aara though despite numerous attempts and I have noted a growing aversion to symphonic bm as I grow older so that wrote off a few tracks for me.  Standouts for me were Totalselfhatred and Conqueror.

I am still trying to get my head around Portrayal of Guilt and Hoplites if honest.  Had no time whatsoever for Amesoeurs or Winterhorde.  Still a strong month as I always come away with something new to check out after listening each month.

Sorry I haven't been adding any suggestions recently, Ben. I haven't been listening to much black metal lately, but I did check out the playlist and it was terrific. The only one that didn't do much for me was Falaise, but I have always struggled with them. Nice to hear a track from Moonsorrow's Tulimyrsky EP - the title track is my favourite Moonsorrow track and Back To North is very good too (despite being a cover). It's always brilliant to hear tracks from Mayhem and Panopticon as well. I really must get it together and check out the new albums from Azaghal and Sarcoptes as both sound great. Nice work once more and I will endeavour to get a suggestion or two in next month.

I don't have time for full reviews at the moment as work & family life are too hectic at the moment with my wife due to give birth to my third daughter in a week but needless to say that I really enjoyed this feature. Conqueror have managed to produce a very consistent release here although the better tracks tend to be the tighter ones. I would have preferred there were more of the super-intense chromatic guitar solos that the war metal subgenre is known to champion (think Bestial Warlust) but that's not a major criticism because the vocals are gnarly & the blast-beats are relentless. Sure, it's really hard to make out the riffs in this wall of white noise so this isn't a record for the faint hearted but your more seasoned underground extreme metal fans should take solace in the sheer rawness & ferocity on offer which is pure savagery. War metal is very much my bag though so I think I was always gonna enjoy this one.

4/5

Svartidauði's is a name I have seen banded about occasionally, yet I haven't taken the plunge with them before, so other than the fact that they are Icelandic and the preconceptions that come with that, then I didn't really know what to expect. Well, for a quick summation, Revelations of the Red Sword takes the best of Deathspell Omega and Blut aus Nord and forge them into an energetic and invigorating black metal maelstrom. It has the edge that dissonance provides, yet it doesn't alienate a more conservative listener like myself by being overbearingly so, but rather it weaves a jagged wall of sound from the disparate threads of dissonance around the framework provided by the pummelling drum battery. And those drums are something to behold - Magnús Skúlason deserves much praise indeed for his constantly shifting, complex and technically superb skinwork that underpins the entire endeavour.

Further praise must go to vocalist/bassist Sturla Viðar Jakobsson whose basswork is great, but his vocals are even more so, sounding more like the howling roar of a wounded beast than the piercing shrieks more usually associated with black metal. The lead guitar work sounds exceedingly complicated and really does feel like guitarist Þórir Garðarsson is weaving disparate strands of sound from the ether and  providing a direct line of communication through to another dimension of reality.

I have found myself becoming irritated at times over recent years by the seemingly endless flow of black metal albums trading in dissonance, but what has come to me like the revelation of the title whilst listening to Revelations of the Red Sword is that what is really annoying me is that too many bands are treading the dissonance path without the necessary skill to do it effectively and so just sound, well, a bit shit. Svartidauði, however are the real deal and this is one killer of a black metal album and many thanks to Vinny for nominating it for this month's feature.

4.5/5

Over recent months I have been neglecting both the Metal Academy monthly playlists and black metal generally, so this afternoon the weather was kind enough to allow me to spend an afternoon in the garden carrying out some much-needed maintenance and thus providing an excellent opportunity to check out this month's playlist for the North. First off, bang-up job Ben, I really enjoyed it and I think it has helped restoke my black metal fire! I was never once tempted to hit the skip button and considering the list contained both Summoning and Gnaw Their Tongues, that is saying something, although both tracks were interesting enough and count as better ones from those two acts, at least for me anyway.

The Drudkh and Leviathan tracks nailed it for me (unsurprisingly as they were both my suggestions in the first place) and the new Thy Darkened Shade track is excellent - as is the album. I quite enjoyed the Deafheaven track which seemed more aggressive than I remember them being and both Vinny's suggestions of Barshasketh and Svartidaudi, along with Nocte Obducta (who I have never heard of before) really piqued my interest. 

I have been looking forward to checking out the Hoplites album, with the track here adding to that anticipation and I am a big fan of Melechesh, so a track from Epigenesis will always be welcome. The only real disappointment was the Satanic Warmaster track - it's ok, but not on the same level as their previous album (from all of eight years prior).

Nice work, Ben and much appreciated. Hopefully I will now be able to keep up with the playlists a bit more going forward.

Scarcity's Aveilut was just horrible.

Interestingly that record has ended up being my number one metal release of the year & I think it's Ben's too. It certainly requires some investment as it's just so unusual on first listen but ultimately won't be for everyone (as we've seen with the drastic variation in scores across our regular contributors).

Believe it or not, Scar Sighted was one of those gateway albums that I listened to back in 2015 when I started digging into black metal. And it took me a long time before I was able to appreciate it in comparison to those Panopticon, Saor and Agalloch records. This was far more brooding, dissonant and uncomfortable. And, despite it all, I could not help but get sucked in by its atmosphere. This is not an avant-garde release like Ad Nauseum with its unending assault of loud noises, uncommon time signatures, and unconventional song structures. Scar Sighted is unashamed to slow down and compliment its black metal pulse with post-metal passages; clean guitars, slower moving percussion and whispered vocals. Most importantly, these styles are complimented well to one another as not to feel like isolated ideas crammed together.

It can certainly be an overwhelming listen at just over an hour. The title track is likely my least favourite on the record as ten minutes seems like far too much and the track loses momentum at a more alarming pace than the records shorter moments. But as a whole...look my background with extreme metal has been challenging the further it diverges into the dissonant and the avant-garde, but this is an exception. I do enjoy this record; not as much as I did back in 2015 however. Scar Sighted is one of those rare examples of avant-garde music done right.

7/10

So with the start of a new year it's once again time to have a look at the covers for all the releases for each clan. I personally like to rate a whole stack of covers all at once, rather than doing them one at a time throughout the year, as it allows me to get a better feel for where each cover sits in comparison to others. With that in mind, I've just rated every cover for releases in the North in 2022.

Here are the releases that are currently competing for the prestigious 2022 The North Cover of the Year Award (i.e. they have 3 or more ratings) :

Stormruler - Sacred Rites & Black Magick

Incandescence - Le coeur de l'homme

Aara - Triade II: Hemera

Blut aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses

Tómarúm - Ash in Realms of Stone Icons

Saor - Origins

Vorga - Striving Toward Oblivion

If you want to contribute and rate some covers, the easiest way is to go to The Gallery and select The North and 2022.

https://metal.academy/gallery?cid=6&type=overall_cover_rating&myRating=&fromYear=2022&toYear=2022&exclude=0

I look forward to seeing which release gets up for the win!

Strong list this month Ben.  Particularly liked Stormruler, Ellende and Skythala.  Didn't mind that Darkthrone track strangely as normally I find them pretty boring nowadays.  Only duds for me were Woods of Desolation and Liturgy (although not massive fan of that Kampfar either).

P.S. you have got the title wrong on that first track in the list, looks like you have duplicated the Stormruler track from beneath.

I'm having some issues with my 2022 list this year, so I'm going to try and break everything down by Clan to try and organize my thoughts. Here's my full, ordered list of North albums I've checked out this year, I'd be interested to see anyone else's top 5 or 10 or whatever as we're going into the final month of 2022.

...So this is where all my listening went this year, huh? I've got a lot of work to do, some of these definitely deserve another shot, like the newest Deathspell Omega. Autonoesis and Tómarúm have taken the crown this year so far, with my opinion on which one edges out the other changes from day to day. The Asunojokei album grew on me immensely throughout the year, and there wasn't any way Caio Lemos' Brii wasn't going to be high up in the ranks. There was tons of Black Metal out this year and, yet again, it didn't disappoint.  

1. Autonoesis - Moon of Foul Magics
2. Tómarúm - Ash in Realms of Stone Icons
3. Asunojokei - Island
4. Brii - Corpos Transparentes
5. Haunter - Discarnate Ails
6. Wake - Thought Form Descent
7. Ultha - All That Has Never Been True
8. Black Fucking Cancer - Procreate Inverse
9. Wiegedood - There's Always Blood at the End of the Road
10. Djevel - Naa Skrider Natten Sort
11. White Ward - False Light
12. Saiden - Onryo II: Her Spirit Eternal
13. Gaerea - Mirage
14. Vital Spirit - Still as the Night, Cold as the Wind
15. Celeste - Assassine(s)
16. Grand Belial's Key - Kohanic Charmers
17. Esoctrilihum - Saopth's
18. Blut Aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses
19. Saor - Origins
20. Grima - Frostbitten
21. Daeva - Through Sheer Will and Black Magic...
22. Esoctrilihum - Consecration of the Spiritus Flesh
23. Vorga - Striving Towards Oblivion
24. Devil Master - Ecstasies of Never Ending Night
25. Nocturnal Triumph - Nocturnal Triumph
26. Trhä - Tálcunnana dëhajma tun dejl bënatsë abcul’han dlhenisë ëlh inagat
27. Nokturnal Mortum - To Lunar Poetry
28. Drudkh - All Belong to the Night
29. Krallice - Psychagogue
30. Trhä - vat gëlénva!!!
31. Lamp of Murmuur / Ebony Pendant - Plenilunar Requiems
32. Negative Plane - The Pact...
33. Ultra Silvam - The Sanctity of Death
34. Arð - Take Up My Bones
35. Deathspell Omega - The Long Defeat
36. Negativa - 04
37. Pure Wrath - Hymn to the Woeful Hearts
38. Sylvaine - Nova
39. Det Eviga Leendet - Reverence
40. Kvaen - The Great Below
41. Falls of Rauros - Key to a Vanishing Future
42. Marrasmieli - Martaiden mailta
43. Festung - Der Turm
44. Gudsforladt - Friendship, Love and War
45. Stangarigel - Na Severe Srdca
46. Luminous Vault - Animate the Emptiness
47. Krallice - Crystalline Exhaustion
48. Scarcity - Aveilut
49. Elegiac - Wolves Chase the Light

1. Patristic - 03 (from Apologetica, 2022)

2. Negativa - XVII (from 03, 2018)

3. Cirith Gorgor - The Declaration of Our Neverending War (from Onwards to the Spectral Defile, 1999) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Sear Bliss - Omen of Doom (from The Arcane Odyssey, 2007) [Submitted by Vinny]

5. Aborym - U.V. Impaler (from With No Human Intervention, 2003)

6. Drudkh - Till We Become the Haze (from All Belong to the Night, 2022)

7. Axis of Advance - Of One to Conflict It (from Obey, 2004)

8. Coldworld - Wound (from Isolation, 2022)

9. Thy Darkened Shade - Or She-Ein Bo Mahshavah (from Liber Lvcifer I: Khem Sedjet, 2014) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Ateiggär - Us Lyschegiftig Schlaf verwached (from Tyrannemord, 2022)

11. Gudsforladt - The Three Sights (from Friendship, Love and War, 2022)

12. White Ward - Love Exchange Failure (from Love Exchange Failure, 2019)

13. Gevurah - Towards the Shifting Sands (from Gehinnom, 2022)

14. Lord Belial - Enter the Moonlight Gate (from Enter the Moonlight Gate, 1997)

15. Fleurety -  Englers piler har ingen brodd (from Min tid skal komme, 1995)

To describe French one-man bm outfit Esoctrilihum as being industrious is quite an understatement. Since 2017, Asthâghul has released eight albums and three EPs. This level of prolific activity is hardly unheard of but is certainly not the norm. Reading a few interviews with him around the web this morning Asthâghul has a very specific mindset he exists within to allow his creative juices to flow and based on the frequency of his output he does not find it very difficult to get into the zone.

Released a little under a couple of months ago (at the time of writing this review at least), Saopth’s continues Asthâghul’s journey into the symphonic, the avant-garde and the lo-fi black metal elements of his music. I will go on record early on in this review in noting that there is a lot to take in here. As someone who is not really that interested in avant-garde metal this maybe more of an individual struggle as opposed to a more widespread challenge for any fan of the sub-genre. Fortunately, there is enough variety within Esoctrilihum’s music to retain enough of the more extreme elements that are more attractive to my palate.

I am not even going to attempt to talk about individual tracks here as that is firstly an impossible task (for me at least) and secondly would be an injustice to the whole release when viewed as a singular piece of art. I can only focus on the whole album as the consistency of the performance breeds the familiarity I need to connect with it superbly. One of the major strengths of Saopth’s forty-three plus minutes its clever use of keyboards and synthesisers. They draw an ethereal and eerie picture that is equal part dungeon synth and symphonic black metal also. They are like an icy cold hand to hold throughout the album, caressing your palm during the albums more bizarre moments whilst all the while guiding you through the maelstrom that is all the component parts of the album.

Vocally, Asthâghul adopts a rasping kind of lunacy in his style that is the perfect accompaniment to the music. Sat in the mix, well layered behind the keys and the guitars and drums they embody a real sense of struggle. There are times however when it all does get too much, where no amount of mixing and mastering prowess can balance all the elements in any sense of equilibrium and as a result sections of some tracks sound like they are damaged parts of the tape to my ears which is not a pleasant experience in all honesty. I cannot deny however that Saopth’s entertained me and although I am unlikely to have much desire to revisit this for further unpicking, there is no denying the effort and talent involved in this release.

3.5/5

Spotify Playlist

Tracklisting:

1. Batushka - Ектения • VIII • Спасение (from Litourgiya, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Keep of Kalessin - Crown of the Kings (from Armada, 2006)

3. Gnaw Their Tongues - Lick The Poison From The Cave Walls (from Abyss of Longing Throats, 2015) [Submitted by Daniel]

4. Raventale - Author of Incest (from Transcendence, 2012) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Adorior - Birth of Disease (from Author of Incest, 2005) [Submitted by Xephyr]

6. Nazxul - Vow Of Vengeance (from Black Seed, 1998)

7. Immortal - Penance (from Northern Chaos Gods, 2018) [Submitted by Primordial_Demiurge13]

8. Mo'ynoq - Penance (from Penance, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

9. Urfaust - Der halbtoten Dichters Schein-Existenz (from Ritual Music for the True Clochard, 2012) [Submitted by Vinny]

10. Khors - Throne of Antiquity (from The Flame of Eternity's Decline, 2005) [Submitted by Sonny]

11. Gaerea - Mirage (from Mirage, 2022) [Submitted by Vinny]

12. Nahvalr - Swallower of Bile (from Nahvalr, 2008) [Submitted by Daniel]

13. Windfaerer - Depletion (from Breaths of Elder Dawns, 2021)

14. Behexen - Night of the Blasphemy (from Rituale Satanum, 2000) [Submitted by Sonny]

15. Thy Light - The Crossing of the Great White Bear (from Thy Light, 2021)

I am going to come right out and say it. It is criminal that I have been unaware of this record for the last eight years. Given I already went in for a vinyl purchase within two weeks of hearing it for the first time, this should be evidence enough of my desire to rectify this wrong. First off, although I get the Mayhem, Abigor, Dissection and even Deathspell Omega vibes, I do think this is one of the most refreshing and unique black metal albums I have ever heard.

It flirts with the progressive elements throughout the experience without ever showing full on commitment to them in the long term. The always audible bass casts some aspersions about the progressive tendencies of the record in that I do not think that it always intends to sound progressive. Unlike with Onirik (another one of my unique favourite finds from recent years) this bass is not always climbing or expanding the ether of the music intentionally. In short, it is just well played and well placed in the arrangements and overall mix.

Of course, there is a lot more to Lvcifer Liber… than just the bass. The guitars fill the very air around them with their (again) progressive melodicism and warm Hellenic style. When combined with the passages of chant and mantras they work well together to build a lush and uncomfortable cosiness to the two short instrumental tracks that open sides A and B of the record. Early in the record it becomes clear that Thy Darkened Shade can be rhythmic machine when the tendency takes them. With an almost black ‘n roll catchiness they can move from occult driven atmospheres to infectiously memorable passages with adhesive-like qualities.

Drummer Hannes Grossman (credited only in a “guest” capacity) gives a great performance, varying between blastbeats and more measured elements he shows a real array of skills over an hour and near twenty minutes. This is not a rampant display by any means – his impact is much more subtle and considered in comparison to the rest of the instrumentation. With Semjaza handling everything else barring vocals, it is left to the mysterious The A to add a very Mayhemesque influence to the construct. I did find the vocals to be the weaker part of the machine initially, largely because they were so predictable, but they are well balanced with the cleaner mantras from Semjaza that I soon concluded that overall, they work without them necessarily needing to be on a par with everything else that is going on.

This is an album that rewards with repeated visits, subtly pushing your experience of the boundary expansion with each return listen. For me at first it just sounded like a melodic bm record with some clever parts but it is a lot more calculated than that and it has taken me seven or eight listens to truly get my head around what I have now proudly adorning the shelves of my vinyl collection.

4.5/5

I must confess to not having heard the debut album by Cirith Gorgor for a good while. A brief look at my spreadsheet where I log all my collection showed me that I had this album as a five out of five rating. SPOILER ALERT – it isn’t. This record had a bit of a cult following back on the old Terrorizer forums and I can sort of see why. The blazing Battles in the North intensity of Immortal, the relentless attack of Gorgoroth and the misanthropic attitude of Marduk all shine through on this record. Similarly, the crude sense of melody deployed by the likes of Sargeist rings around my head for most of Onwards to the Spectral Defile.

That cult status does not strike me as all that valid – certainly in 2022 anyways. Released in 1999, this album dropped long after the heyday of the bm scene and so I hear nothing that I had not heard already from any of the above-mentioned bands. Gorgoroth had peaked long before this record, Marduk lead the way in the intensity stakes as Immortal embraced the more epic aspect of bm in the very same year Cirith Gorgor released this, their debut album. The thought occurs to me that CG just arrived late to the party and wondered where everyone else had gone.

History lesson aside, is OttSD any good? Well, yes, it is. If you like a dose of 90’s scathing black metal with some melody (clumsily) applied, then this is for you. Does the scope of the ambition outweigh the ability to deliver it? Yes, it does. Is the production job a little too high value for the aesthetic they try to portray? Probably. It is still a decent enough an effort for a debut album though and I am being more than a little unkind to it by berating it in terms of historical reference alone. Enjoy this album for what it is and not when it should have been released.

3.5/5

I tell you what Ben, this month's playlist was close to a 100% nod of approval over here in the North West of England as I worked my way through the list in a slightly odd fashion of starting at track 11 initially and then once I had got to the end hitting up the correct order for my next run through.  Hulder through Akhlys (fuck yeah) all saw the "like" button on Spotify getting a right bashing.  Ash of Ashes was perhaps the only track on the back half of the list that I debated whether it would get the green heart or not but it made the cut despite the clean vocals.  Sainte Marie des Loups are quite a recent discovery for me and so revisiting that track so soon after thrashing the album for a couple of weeks was a timely reminder of one of my new favourite bands.

The list starts off strong with Gaerea who are one of my favourite modern black metal bands - indeed I am waiting for the vinyl of this one to arrive in the post, and I predict this would be one of the few releases on my end-of-year list in a few months.  A curved ball with Devil Master if I am honest but it still felt strong enough for inclusion in the solid start to the list and the inclusion of Krohm and then the mighty Horna soon helped cast any doubt aside.  The horns of Sear Bliss were a welcome sound early on a Sunday morning also - all hail Zoltán Pál!  This track is the highlight of the playlist for me (even above the mighty Akhlys), majestic and triumphant without getting pissy.  Thy Darkened Shade continue to slip past me, even them being the feature release for August didn't see me get around to this album.  A lot more interesting than I originally expected so definitely worth venturing further with the whole album.

So barring Devil Master and Deafheaven (who I can sort of get to grips with, just not for ten minutes plus) this was a great month again.

The avant-garde tag on music can be a bit misleading. There are some instances where this tag is used to describe music that goes far and beyond what could be described as "accessible" (i.e. Imperial Triumphant, Deathspell Omega, etc.) by throwing the kitchen sink at the listener with relentless time changes and technical breakdowns. On the other hand, avant-garde can be used to describe bands like Schammasch and Scarcity; the forms are not that unusual, but the usage of unconventional composition techniques makes it quite uncomfortable.

In Scarcity's case on the bands debut album Aveilut, the usage of microtonality gives the droning guitar leads some weight as they float in and out of tune with one another. It can be easy to find yourself floating on a cloud while listening to these five tracks suck you in with their atmosphere. But unlike post-metal, Scarcity does not seem interested in doing anything with these ideas. Aveilut is by design a drone metal album that does not resort to spacey synthesizers with no percussion or distinguished bass for its entire 45 minute duration. I can respect the bands experimentation even if I don't really care for drone metal. The blending of the stagnant drone metal with the loud and vibrant black metal is unique, and it does sometimes bring in the best moments of each.

What it does not bring is black metal's production. Everything is so compressed and restrained that nothing is allowed to evolve dynamically. The closing track "V" is the only one that sounds like a fully developed idea, but the guitar lead is not allowed to go anywhere because it's already peaking when the song begins. The lack of bass on "I" left me worried right out the gate for much the same reason. And while "IV" has a decent mix, it is the bands subtle reminder that this is not meant to be consumed as a black metal record. And I think that is fine; experimentation in drone metal is by nature, extremely lacking. But maybe combining these two genres together was never going to work in the first place.

5/10

I don't actually recall the gateway release or moment of getting into black metal.  I just found myself listening to it, albeit many years after its perceived peak of the 90s.

I recall that in the 90s I had no patience whatsoever for it.  I had stumbled across some Burzum at some point and thought it was utter shit (no idea what track it was) but I recall that in those heady days before we had internet in the house I was reliant on magazines and radio shows for my metal feeds and my cousin who had turned me onto metal by loaning me his record collection had no extreme metal whatsoever and so I cut my teeth on Iron Maiden etc before straying into death metal.  To be honest, once I had heard Morbid Angel and Obituary, black metal never stood a fucking chance.

As I type I think it was Immortal's Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism that was probably my first serious sit down with a bm record and from there I soon found my way to At The Heart of Winter and from there I followed a familiar path into Darkthrone, Burzum, Emperor, Mayhem etc

So this brings me to the end of my Black Noise deep dive with the outcome being as follows:

Is Black Noise really a defined sound? YES it is but it's often misused to describe your noisier conventional Black Metal or noisy music that really doesn't have much to do with metal.

Is it worth differentiating from other forms of Black Metal? YES because I think it'll only have a very niche audience with many Black Metal fans wanting to steer away from it.

Does it belong in The North? YES very clearly.

Should it be added to the Metal Academy database? YES I think it should.

Glad you enjoyed it Vinny. For me, I think the biggest takeaways were Blackbraid (def need to listen to the full length), Strid (who I'd never heard before and was impressed) and that Panopticon track (I didn't realise the earlier material was more traditional black metal). Will spend more time with Grima too.

I am not as focussed on current year releases as perhaps other members are so any releases I stumble across from the current year that I like enough to retain a copy influences how "good" a year it is.  I still find far more interesting releases from days gone by and it is these I seek out ahead of staying on top of any current year releases.  Wiegedood is the only release of note (still getting to grips with Blackbraid) from the year so far.  Have not heard anything else off that list from Ben barring the odd BAN track and I was unimpressed.  Celeste are on my radar but I am still in 2017 in terms of their discography.

Spotify Playlist

Tracklisting:

1. Abigor - Gomorrha Rising/Nightside Rebellion (from Totschlager: A Saintslayer's Songbook, 2020) [Submitted by Daniel]

2. Misþyrming - Með svipur á lofti (from Algleymi, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

3. Esoctrilihum - Spiritüs Flesh (from Consecration of the Spiritüs Flesh, 2022)

4. Burzum - Det som en gang var (from Hvis lyset tar oss, 1994) [Submitted by Sonny]

5. Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult - Mardom - Echo Zmory (from Mardom, 2019) [Submitted by Vinny]

6. Wake - Bleeding Eyes of the Watcher (from Thought Form Descent, 2022)

7. Darkthrone - Crossing the Triangle of Flames (from Under a Funeral Moon, 1993) [Submitted by Sonny]

8. Glorior Belli - Meet Us At The Southern Sign (from Meet Us At The Southern Sign, 2009) [Submitted by Daniel]

9. Nyktalgia - Peisithanatos (from Peisithanatos, 2008)

10. Negator - Dignity of War (from Panzer Metal, 2010) [Submitted by Vinny]

11. Vinterland - Our Dawn of Glory (from Welcome My Last Chapter, 1996)

12. Bríi - Corpos transparentes (from Corpos transparentes, 2022)